Why Creator Events Are a Must for Creators & Entrepreneurs

Marketing 8 min read

We’re well into 2025, and if you’re a creator or entrepreneur, it’s basically a given that your inbox is overflowing with invites to in-person events. Subject lines like ‘This is the ONLY event you need this year’ and ‘Take your content to the next level in 2025’ are likely clogging your inbox.

If you’re contemplating whether or not to invest in live events this year and you’re feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of advertising, let me give you a simple piece of advice: pick one and go to it.

Why Creator Events Are Worth the Cost

Traveling to a city, staying in a hotel, and getting a pass to attend an event can be expensive, no question. And every dollar you spend is critical if you’re an indie creator trying to build a following or business around your content. Investing a thousand dollars or more to attend an event might seem frivolous.

But its not. While it might seem like a considerable expense, the value you get from networking and meeting other professionals is invaluable.

Back in 2022, Lauren wrote about some of the events we attended that year and highlighted the most significant reasons to go. I’m going to shamelessly recycle her wisdom for you:

Education - The primary reason should be education. As a creator, you’ll need to tackle many tasks outside of creating. That might be technical learning, like how to build a blog or start a podcast. Or it might be creative education, like learning how to write for your audience or respond to customer service requests.
Inspiration - I’ve been blogging in various forms for nearly a decade. Creating a new post every week can get monotonous. But surrounding yourself with other creators and experts is a great way to discover something new and get inspired to keep at your content business.
Networking - Finally, you’ve got to get out and meet your peers and industry professionals. Those peers will help you stay inspired and might even be a pathway to sharing content and growing your personal brand through partnerships.

What to Look for At Creator Events

People. No joke. Look for people to connect with, to discuss publishing and marketing, and anything else (my conversations at events have ranged from 1920s burlesque to tequila to British ghosts—and that’s just one event). The connections you make are the most valuable part.

Events are a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts and meet peers.

The experts are going to get up on stage and give a presentation that expands on ideas they’ve published elsewhere or (if you’re lucky) taps into something totally new. Either way, these speakers only get the chance to be up there because they have insights, ideas, or perspectives they are willing to share at the event and nowhere else. They’ve displayed a proven track record of success in their fields or with their own businesses, making these experts the exact people aspiring creators need to hear from.

Your peers, well, that’s the real goldmine. These are people working through the same struggles you are. The connections you make at these events can have a long-lasting impact on your success.

“I'm at an event, I'm not answering my email right now. And it forces me to be in the moment and to be accessible. And I think it forces other people to be accessible too. And facilitates all that connection, that networking.”
- Matt

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It’s Really All About the People

Remember that indie creators rely on building a community. That doesn’t mean just racking up Instagram followers who bought your book; you also need a community of peers. You need to be a community member in their circles, too.

Only some people you meet or connect with need to be a potential customer: you can and should build your professional connections to learn new skills and open up opportunities for collaboration.

Here’s a shortlist of the most valuable things to look for when you’re attending events:

Actionable Insights - If you can walk away from each session you attend with one idea or insight to implement, you’re doing great. Events are a great place to be exposed to new ideas and methods for growing your business. The more you can prepare yourself beforehand by identifying areas you want to develop(say, social media or email marketing), the better your experience at the event will be.
- Ann at CEX2023, moments before she explains how TSA confiscated her money guns. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=651071843701937&set=pcb.651073097035145
Live Q&A - Experts standing on a stage and talking at you is one thing. That can be both enlightening and inspiring. But the opportunity to raise your hand and ask them a question is one of the most valuable aspects of live events. Right there, directly in front of you, is someone who has found success in their creative endeavors. And they give you exclusive access to their knowledge in a small, intimate setting. This is not the kind of insight you will find on LinkedIn or in an email newsletter.

Industry Leaders - Yes yes, you can subscribe to any number of newsletters with insights and thoughts from industry leaders. But getting Total ANNarchy in your inbox in no way compares to the experience of being in the room with Ann Handley while she demonstrates her vast marketing knowledge and impressive wardrobe.

Growing Your Content Business

These events aren’t just about learning new tricks, keeping up with trends, and making friends with your fellow creators. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to promote your business.

Remember, everyone at creator events has a common goal: to earn more followers, sell more products or services, and build relationships that lead to new audiences. You should bring some copies of your book to the event. Don’t hesitate to give those copies away.

Events are the perfect place to share ideas and strategies. With that in mind, prepare ahead of time by outlining the specific topics you want to learn more about or expand on.

This will help you narrow down the list of sessions to attend, and you’ll know what topics to discuss when meeting fellow content creators. Maybe you want to grow your social media marketing—attend sessions by social media experts and ask your fellow creators what they’re doing on social media.

Creator Events You Should Attend

If you’re excited about traveling and attending a creator event this year, you might be overwhelmed by the options. Should you go big and hit SXSW? Or will a more focused, intimate event like CEX be right for you?

I will highlight three events upcoming in 2025 that are perfect for authors and creators wanting to grow their businesses. These events provide a combination of industry learning, networking with other creators, and exposure to the marketing and creative trends in the industry.

CEX is the Content Entrepreneur Expo happening on August 24-26 in Cleveland OH.

Content Entrepreneur Expo (CEX)

Date: August 24-26
Website: https://cex.events/

Get ready for a content creator's paradise! Hosted and sponsored by Lulu, CEX is the ultimate destination for entrepreneurs, writers, and creators. CEX brings together the brightest minds in the industry, offering workshops, panels, and networking opportunities to help you grow your content business.

This event offers a unique opportunity for content entrepreneurs to learn how to survive and thrive in the competitive landscape. At CEX, participants will engage with various speakers in small sessions, larger keynotes, and day-long, hands-on workshops.

Marketing AI Convention

Date: October 14-16
Website: https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/events/marketing-artificial-intelligence-conference

Dive into the future of marketing at the Marketing AI Convention. This event explores the intersection of modern generative AI and marketing strategies. Expect insights into cutting-edge AI technologies and how they are transforming content marketing. Whether you're interested in chatbots, data analytics, or AI-driven ad campaigns, this convention is a must-attend for content creators looking to stay ahead of the curve.

The event is tailored for a non-technical audience, including marketing and business leaders and practitioners, ensuring that no advanced analytics, data science, or programming knowledge is required. Attendees can expect to learn from top AI professionals who will share case studies, methodologies, and technologies relevant to marketing AI.

If you’re in a position to use AI for your content creation or business, this event is the best way to understand what’s happening and prepare for what’s still to come.

Author Nation

Date: November 3-7
Website: https://www.authornation.live/

Author Nation (formerly known as 20Books) caters specifically to authors and offers workshops, keynote speakers, and interactive sessions to help you sharpen your writing skills, navigate the publishing landscape, and build your author brand. It's the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow authors, share experiences, and gain valuable insights into the business of being an author.

It’s also an amazing networking opportunity for authors. The last time I attended Author Nation, it wasn’t uncommon to see authors mingling well past the end of the daily sessions. This is the environment that creates real connections between creators and can help you build the network you need to be successful.

Niche Events

The three above are all focused on big, broad creator topics (business, writing, and AI, respectively). But there are plenty of great niche events out there too.

Fincon - The content event for financial experts and personal income content creators. This event is 15 years strong and attracts an terrific array of speakers.
TravelCon - For travel writers, explorers, and photographers, TravelCon is a great event for meeting peers with an emphasis on starting a business.
TBEX North America - Another popular travel creator event, TBEX focuses on writers and bloggers who share their adventures.

Deciding Which Creator Events To Attend

I’ve only highlighted some creator events I think are valuable. You can find dozens more.

So, how do you decide which events to invest your time and money in?

With so many options, you should research a few different events. I’ve pointed to three that I really like, but there are so many others.

Think about the areas you’d like to grow. Are you struggling with marketing? You’ll want events that focus on social media and email marketing. Be sure to spend some time looking at the agenda and ‘tracks’ the event focuses on to hone your schedule. You probably won’t get to take in everything you plan for, but having a schedule to work from is very helpful once you’re at the event and caught up in all the activity.

The goal is to isolate one or two areas of your business that need improvement or that you want to expand on. Go to an event slanted toward those goals and learn everything you can.